Ramblings of an Emergency Physician in Texas

TMB to Require Physicians’ FingerprintsThe Texas Medical Board (TMB) will resume using fingerprints of physicians for criminal background checks as part of the licensing process on Sept. 1. The fingerprinting will begin with the 4,000 physicians now applying for licenses in the state. After that, existing physicians will have to be fingerprinted when they apply to renew their licenses.

Joke’s on us: Texas Licenses renew yearly, so this esentially means this year.

…The price of fingerprinting is expected to be $48.95 through Oct. 1. After Oct. 1, the price is expected to drop to $44.20.The medical board previously required fingerprinting but eliminated the ink-based system in the late 1990s due to technical problems that delayed the licensure process. Electronic fingerprinting systems are more thorough and accurate and give the TMB instantaneous results, Dr. Patrick says. The DPS runs a national background check against FBI records to alert the medical board to any felonies or misdemeanors.

TMB has been using applicants’ names for background checks and running them against Texas criminal records. But that system doesn’t alert the medical board to past convictions in other states, he says.

“I suspect everyone would consider fingerprinting an imposition, but it’s something we’ve done before, and we now have the capability of doing it again in a less invasive way,” Dr. Patrick said. “If nurses are required to do it, then certainly doctors should be.”

It’s not the money, I have $44. It’s just that a) I had to submit fingerprints to the TMB when I originally applied for licensure in 1993, and b) I have another Texas State issued license that requires fingerprints. Is there some reason, other than the convenience of the TMB I should be re-fingerprinted?